Something’s Brewing

Downtown real estate is expensive, so it’s no surprise that some of the best local breweries are outside the city of Denver’s borders. Kevin DeLange, who bought The Brew Hut (www.thebrewhut.com), a homebrewing equipment and supplies shop, in an Aurora strip mall 10 years ago, started serving his own suds in 2005 when he opened Dry Dock Brewing (www.drydockbrewing.com) next door. The cozy spot won the coveted “Small Brewing Company of the Year” award at the 2009 Great American Beer Festival. Farther west, we’ve whiled away many an afternoon draining pitchers of hoppy Evolution India Pale Ale at Golden City Brewery (www.gcbrewery.com), whose “beer garden” is a low-key affair of mismatched picnic tables and chairs that attracts post-ride cyclists, Golden families, School of Mines students, and anyone looking to kick back for the afternoon. Finally, if you really want to know what you’re drinking, visit Westminster’s Do Your Brew (www.doyourbrew.com), a homebrewing equipment and supplies shop, in an Aurora strip mall 10 years ago, started serving his own suds in 2005 when he opened Dry Dock Brewing (www.drydockbrewing.com) next door. The cozy spot won the coveted “Small Brewing Company of the Year” award at the 2009 Great American Beer Festival. Farther west, we’ve whiled away many an afternoon draining pitchers of hoppy Evolution India Pale Ale at Golden City Brewery (www.gcbrewery.com), whose “beer garden” is a low-key affair of mismatched picnic tables and chairs that attracts post-ride cyclists, Golden families, School of Mines students, and anyone looking to kick back for the afternoon. Finally, if you really want to know what you’re drinking, visit Westminster’s Do Your Brew (www.doyourbrew.com) on a Wednesday night for an introductory homebrewing class ($85); you’ll leave with a five-gallon batch of your choice—and just maybe, a new hobby.

Yours for the Pickin’

Sunny Saturday mornings from June through November are perfect for bringing the kids to Berry Patch Farms (www.berrypatchfarms.com) in Brighton. They’ll love having a real working-farm experience, whether they’re picking their own fruits and veggies or petting the farm animals. The produce is certified organic, and the farm’s market teems with the Berry Patch’s just-harvested goodies that you can’t pick on your own. Rather than charge admission, the family-owned 40-acre farm charges by the weight of your bounty, so you can leave with as much as you need. A mini tractor pulls farm-goers around the property to designated picking patches—a treat your little ones will get a kick out of.

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Johnson & Wales students, all baking and pastry arts majors, competed in the Gingerbread Takeover from December 6–8. Final judging took place on Thursday in the lobby of the Sheraton Downtown Denver hotel. All photos by Sarah Boyum

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The American Society of Interior Designers' (ASID) Colorado Chapter decorated the Governor's Residence for the holidays. Holiday tours, free and open to the public, will take place December 8-11 and December 15-18 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. All photos by Sarah Boyum